Wave-motor.



No. 792,224. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. G. M. LYNCH.

WAVE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED 0014,1904.

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No. 792,224. I PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. G. M. LYNCH.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0014,1304.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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' c; I/ L" L L ix L AZ:;/1eye UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

WAVE-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,224, dated June 13, 1905. Application filed October 4:, 1904. Serial No. 227,133.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. LYNCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wave-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved wave-motor in which the power of waves is utilized to compress air which is stored in reservoirs to be made available for use as desired. It is characterized particularly by a plurality of floats carried by a pontoon or platform, the floats being of greater buoyancy than the pontoon or platform, whereby a difierence of motion is imparted by the action of waves, and, air-pumps being carried by the pontoon,with their pistons carried by the floats, the differential movement operates the pumps.

The principles upon which the invention is based are, first, that any object sufficiently buoyant to float on water will displace only the amount of water equal to the weight of such object, and consequently any excess of buoyancy may be utilized for generating pressure; second, that when two buoyant objects differing in specific gravity are placed on the surface of water each wave will in its turn temporarily submerge the heavier object, while the lighter object will continue to float freely on the surface, and, third, that the lifting power of any buoyant object immersed in water equals its excess of buoyancy over displacement, while the downward pull of any such object suspended from above only equals its weight. Consequently the upward thrust of any object or body immersed in water whose surplus buoyancy exceeds its weight will exert a greater power than its downward pull when water recedes from under it.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail in horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section. Fig. Sis an enlarged detail in plan, showing the gimbals which support the pump-cylinder on the framework. Fig. 6 is a detail in horizontal section, illustrating a modification.

The device comprises a platform or pontoon carrying multiple floats and air-pumps, all of which pump air into reservoirs carried by the pontoon.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the pontoon or floating framework comprises a series of longitudinal air chambers or cylinders, (indicated at 6.) These are preferably made of metal and are of sufficient capacity to support the other parts of the structure. These air-chambers extend lengthwise, and mounted thereon are vertical timbers 7, supporting the lengthwise chords or timbers 8, which in turn support the cross-beams 9, on which cross-beams the pump-cylinders 10 are mounted. Tie rods 11 extend diagonally across between the timbers and air-chambers to properly brace and strengthen the structure. The ends of the pontoon have decks 12 to carrythe necessary windlasses, bits, cables, and the like.

In the embodiment shown the chords, crossbeams, and air-cylinders are so arranged that three rows of wells or recesses are produced, and each well contains a float 13, which is movable up and down in the well. The float has projecting lugs 14, which slide in channel-bars 15, fixed to the framework of the structure. The movement of the float is thus guided and limited. Each float carries a piston-rod 16, which works in the cylinder 10, said cylinder being open at its lower end. The air-reservoirs are indicated at 17, consisting of long narrow cylinders supported on top of the pontoon and extending lengthwise between the rows of pumps. The pumps are connected to the reservoirs by means of flexible pipes 18.

To accommodate any oscillation or play of the rising and falling floats and the piston-rods attached thereto, the pump-cylinders are supported on gimbals, as indicated at 19, so that the cylinders will accommodate themselves to the swing or play of the piston-rods. Seavalves are indicated at 20 to let water into the air vessels 6. I

In Fig. 6 a modification is shown. Instead of the hollow air vessels 6 long timbers 6 are used to float the pontoon, and pockets 21 are provided in the corners of the wells, in which sand or weights may be placed for the purpose of submerging the pontoon to the extent desired.

In operation the sea-valves 20 are opened to let sufficient water into the vessels 6 to decrease the buoyancy of the pontoon and cause it to settle in the water until the pressurefloats 18 are afloat with. a safe cushion of water between them and the lower ends of the guides 15. The eflect of the passing waves will then be slight upon the pontoon, while the pressurefloats, owing to their greater buoyancy, will rise on the crest of each wave as it passes and sink to-the hollow again when the wave has passed, thus operating the airpumps and forcing air into the reservoirs. The power of compression will depend upon the height of the waves and the size of the pressure-floats. The air thus stored in the reservoirs may be taken for use in any manner desired. The multiplicity of air-pumps and floats utilizes the power of each wave repeatedly, and the direct upward thrust of the floats and pistons used to compress the air insures a greater degree'of compression than if the downward movement of the floats were used for that purpose.

"maze i What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a pontoon or floating framework having a plurality of wells formed by beams extending lengthwise and crosswise, said wells having guides fixed to the beams, of pump-cylinders supported above the wells, and floats movable up and down in the wells between the guides, and having pistons which work in the cylinders.

2. The combination with a pontoon,of an airpump cylinder mounted in gimbals thereon, and floats having greater buoyancy than the pontoon, movable up and down in guides under the pump-cylinders and having pistons working in said cylinders.

3. The combination with a pontoon comprisinglowerair vessels and aframe structure erected thereon, the air vessels having valves to let in waterballast, of air-reservoirs and pump-cylinders carried on the frame, and floats of greater buoyancy than the pontoon, movable up-and down in guides on the pontoon and carrying pistons which work in the cylinders.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. LYNCH.

Vl itnesses:

EDWARD H. BENTLEY, ER'M'INE HANSEN. 

